Guitarists of Singletrack...

Dave Simpson recommends the Crimson Guitar stuff over lemon oil.

I like the Shimano mineral oil, mainly as I have a big bottle of it. seriously.

Also, I've found those foam magic eraser foam blocks pretty good for cleaning grimy necks

I'm impressed by the joinery on display here. I fell tempted to have a go at making a pedalboard like a Rauch.

Did a bit more in the cab after work today...

Undercoat of black, going to spray it with black satin later.

Leaving the plywood front and back natural, probably give them a light oil.

Test fitted speaker and grill. Needed to laser cut some rubber strips to make the clamps hold/fit properly.

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I feel that the speaker cover lets it down a bit... A different option?

Two reasons for it...

Cost - £3 for the grill vs. about £15 for fabric.
Trying to get the whole build under £50 (£35 speaker, £3 grill, £3 clamps, £4 for the feet and Jack socket + a can of satin paint)

Toughness - I've made this as a beater cab to chuck in the boot for band practice and small venue gigs. I've had cones damaged through fabric covers before.

Heaph0an toanz: I just want a couple of great clean / crunch tones to listen with headphones. I had an epiphany a couple of years ago where I played a proper Fender Deluxe and the amount of extra feel I got was insane and everything I've played before / since pales in comparison. Unfortunately I don't get to play a cranked valve amp very often, certainly not at home. I actually really love my THR but it doesn't take all pedals so well and I want to try something else that I can use with a looper + some pedals to create some sounds. I'm very much just a bedroom guitarist with no real aspirations beyond my house. Maybe I'll do some recording one day.

I'm torn between a Helix and something like a Strymon Iridium with a couple of new pedals. I have mixed feelings about going full modelling - I've had a few multi-FX over the years* and I'd always been underwhelmed (probably an unfair comparisons since the Korg AX-1000G/ Zoom multiFX/POD 2.0 I'm thinking of are all > 20 years old, but I have been more recently underwhelmed using an iRig HD + BIAS FX). I think the million amp/cab/IR permutations of the Helix is honestly a turn off, but I like the various FX pedal options (by all accounts the modelled delays/reverbs/pitch shift etc are very good on Helix).

So, how best to be a tone snob with headphones?

@eddiebaby

PlaN change. I’m getting a fill blown helix. I needed a few bits to go with the Stomp and wanted a Variax in so it just made sense to go down that route.

Have you got this yet? I'm possibly looking at the stomp or LT and wondered what you thought?

Superficial

For me the closest you can get in headphones is either the boss waza headphones or tube amp into captor x

https://www.andertons.co.uk/boss-waza-air-wireless-guitar-headphones

Id go with the former if you don't already have a tube amp

I'm totally happy to use my helix or stomp on their own or with pedals

Not bought mine yet. Realistically looking at what I have and what I need I think I'm going Stomp because a) ITS SUPER CHEAP and b) sounds great, plus I have a Hall of Fame 2 and a Flashback 2 to go in the effects loop and do a bit of the heavy lifting so I'm sorted for any situation that will arise at home and "recording" and certainly at the level of minimal live playing I do. I do play through headphones a lot even with the THR as I use the altered tunings in Variax and you really to need to block out the acoustic sound of the guitar when you do that.
I've also got my eye on a Revival Drive Compact so that should cover me for everything other than powering/controlling my Variax.
I love the Helix sounds ive tried. I'd go Stomp rather than Stomp LT as the £200 difference would go towards a Morningstar Midi unit to make the Stomp really versatile.

On a side note.
I'm playing 90% of the time through just the THR10II currently.
Occasionally the miniboard comes out, but if I'm doing my usual playalongaFloyd or Thin Lizzy I can get close enough with that as long as I can get use the speakers, if I have to use headphones then it sounds bad unless I can run it through Guitar Rig on the Mac and the latency does my head in when I do.
So guitar>polytune>Spark Booster>

Apologies for talking about music but I've just heard Chet Atkins version of Vincent and was wondering how difficult it would be to play if i could get hold of the tab? or i could be dreaming as I've only been playing 18mths.

wondering how difficult it would be to play...

I've not heard it before, but it looks pretty hard! As well as some very fast picking & chord changes, there are quite a few harmonics to add difficulty! That said, if you know your way around a guitar and are prepared to practice, you'll be able to get most songs down. I've been playing years and although I am better overall, my rendition of, for example, Sweet Child O' Mine is no better than when I was a relative noobie (just now I understand the chords and scales involved and can improv/noodle over it much better).

’m torn between a Helix and something like a Strymon Iridium with a couple of new pedals. I have mixed feelings about going full modelling – I’ve had a few multi-FX over the years* and I’d always been underwhelmed (probably an unfair comparisons since the Korg AX-1000G/ Zoom multiFX/POD 2.0 I’m thinking of are all > 20 years old, but I have been more recently underwhelmed using an iRig HD + BIAS FX). I think the million amp/cab/IR permutations of the Helix is honestly a turn off, but I like the various FX pedal options (by all accounts the modelled delays/reverbs/pitch shift etc are very good on Helix).

I have a Helix floor and I have have to say I have still not really got to grips with getting the tones I like out of it. Some of that might be down to the cheap Headrush FRFR I use with it. However I also find when recording I often use the dry signal through Guitar rig 6 to get the tones I want for recording. Sounds like I am a big Line 6 fan but I also have a spider 240 with 2 x 12s and I often find myself using that instead for just noodling around. That and because its got built in wireless I can just plug the transmitter in and not worry about cables.

I am sure if I played with the Helix more I could get want I want out of it. Or even if I just bough some better presets. I was going to get the Fractal FM3 but at the time it was such a long wait to get one I bought the Helix.

Hello! Been out of the loop a little moving house this last (what seems like) month... Now in a much, MUCH smaller house across town, which means that all my music gear, which used to have its own room(!) is now stacked in the corner of the living room - currently still behind a pile of boxes... It's no longer just a case of flicking a valve amp on and grabbing a guitar.

So... suggestions for a home practice amp? I know there are lots of THR fans here. Anyone tried the Positive Grid Spark (I see they're in stock/on offer at the moment)?

Ideally, I'd like to eventually get a new Vibro Champ reissue, as I've tried an older one and it was incredible. A 5W valve amp with reverb and tremolo should be ideal for living room noodling once we've made some space, but for now, I'm after a desktop solution. I did have a Line6 Amplifi, which was OK, though I ebayed it and now it's being returned as it apparently doesn't work any more... Hmm...

On the louder music front, got back in the rehearsal room with the dad-rock band last night. Something very good about playing a little louder and with an actual band... Though our rehearsal room is next door to one where a double bass drum metal band rehearses. We get two hours of quiet working-out before they come in. Then it's earplugs-in and volume up for well-known tunes, with no room for quiet contemplation...

Decided (after some deliberation!) to laser cut a grill from aluminium effect acrylic.

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Frikkin' lasers! Nice work...

Hi Chipps, I can't comment on anything else as i haven't tried anything but theYHR is excellent. Check out the Pedal Show recent "5 practice tools video for Dans view.

Cheers, I'll give it a look. Fun fact - Mick Taylor used to be the managing editor of MBUK, back in the late nineties, before he went on to edit Guitar Buyer and then Guitarist magazines...

Is that your aim Chipps? Head off down the wood and wires route?

Cheers, I’ll give it a look. Fun fact – Mick Taylor used to be the managing editor of MBUK, back in the late nineties, before he went on to edit Guitar Buyer and then Guitarist magazines…

I've seen this mentioned before (perhaps by you). Which I find kind of weird because he talks about being in the guitar world his whole life and I can't find any evidence of it online.

Did you just imagine that fact? 😛

It probably was me spreading that rumour... 🙂

You're right, there's scant evidence online... My only 'proof' is that I worked at Future Publishing when he was there, so I met him there, he shared a flat with my ex-girlfriend and we're pals on Facebook (though he rarely answers my messages...) - Oh and I bumped into him in a petrol station near Bath about eight years ago when I caught him admiring the mountain bikes on my roof rack and we did stop for a chat.

However, I did find this bio of him on Amazon from a book he wrote in 2009... "Mick Taylor started playing the guitar aged 2. By 13 he was playing in bars and pubs. A keen writer, Mick sought to combine his passions and headed straight for Guitarist after university. Mick has also worked on Metal Hammer, Mountain Biking UK and Guitar Buyer before returning to his dream job as editor of Guitarist."

He did an interview with I think Andertons where he explains it; he went into the guitar mag office as a teenager looking for a job,went to university and then got into the Future publishing graduate scheme. They sent him round the other mags like MBUK but worked back onto guitar as soon as he could

Fair enough 😛

So… is he a rider? Or was the MBUK stint just a necessary stint to further his guitar career?

Just a PSA.
If anyone is thinking of getting a Line6 Stomp or a Helix buy it NOW if there is one in stock.
Andertons have no Stomps in stock and the new price jumped up from £399 to £529 yesterday. Helix LT has jumped from £799 to £999.
A few places are still showing in stock at the old prices but this is no doubt the new price point until the shortage eases.

I'm trying not to buy anything else until I can actually play *much* better although I'd really love a really nice looking acoustic guitar. I will make do with my Adam Black for now. I think I'm improving but it's hard work, especially as I have knackered finger joints that limits how long I can play for.
I also need to work out how to stop the selfie camera on my new phone making me look like I'm left handed!

I love that song. Nice one.
I'm not buying anything either. Although a recent wander over to Guildford did see me leave andertons with a secondhand Ditto, a Sprk Mini Booster and a Mooer Elec-Lady flanger.
So how that ties in with the preceding sentence I have no idea.

BTW my new favourite im learning is Breathe by Pink Floyd. Hence the acquisition of the ElecLady. Sat in the sun on break with a cup of coffee and listening to it right now - the Roger Waters live version from a couple of years back.

Nice work there Simon, a lot of hours gone into that.
I play mostly classical/fingerstyle but have just started playing with a plectrum, frustrating just doesn't cut it.

Cheers guys. I'll keep trying to improve. I've even worked out how to flip the image on my phone. Now I've just got to work out how Jimi did his thing 🙂

Help, I can no longer tune my guitar. Bass fwiw and using a Fender clip on tuner, if I tune lower E all the fretted notes are slightly sharp. Other strings are fine.

Google suggests nut is too high but it's only just become an issue. I haven't played it for a few days though, can temp be an issue?

It sounds bad enough due to my inept fingering, now even the right notes sound wrong!

if I tune lower E all the fretted notes are slightly sharp. Other strings are fine.

Every fretted note has become sharp, even first and second frets?
Could be solved by moving the saddle back so worth a try but not sure why this would just start happening if it was fine before as the saddle would not have moved and the nut would not have become higher.

My guess is the neck tension has let go a bit in the heat, so there's a bit more of a bow, but there are plenty of other factors which cold have caused it.

Neck tuners aren't the most accurate on a bass, I'd be tempted to use an inline tuner with a meter, which will show you whether the frets are all uniformly sharp or whether intonation "wanders". I'm also curious as to whether the other strings are similarly affected.

As an experiment tune to a fretted note (I'd suggest the octave at 12 to start with) and then see whether the rest sound in tune.

Have a look at one of the many bass setup videos on Youtube and treat yourself to a string height gauge so you can make sure the bass is near the recommended settings.

I’ve even worked out how to flip the image on my phone. Now I’ve just got to work out how Jimi did his thing 🙂

Should have left the image flipped then... 🙂

I having trouble getting time to play at the moment. And it really hurts as I have a Revival Drive Compact that sounds so good into the clean amp on my THR10. 🙁

Should have left the image flipped then… 🙂

Hahaha, good point!
Still really struggling with Little Wing. I need a longer, more flexible thumb for grabbing the low e string.

I having trouble getting time to play at the moment. And it really hurts as I have a Revival Drive Compact that sounds so good into the clean amp on my THR10. 🙁

I'm sure you'll find some time soon enough. And when you do, it would be nice to hear it 🙂

I can't really go full Hendrix with the thumb. My thumb is too stubby. But a few things helped me.

1) Standing up
2) Realise that you don't have to fret all the strings and you can mute with parts of fingers/thumb. E.g. a C major chord shape could be either 8-10-x-9-8-x or 8-x-10-9-8-x if you prefer.
3) Use a barre for some stuff, if you like. No matter how hard I try, I can't do minor (e) shape chords with a thumb over and still fret the minor 3rd properly. So I will use a barre for minor chord shapes like the B (actually Bb) minor in Little Wing, but thumb for major chords.

Little Wing is a minor obsession of mine at the moment. So unassuming as far as Hendrix songs go but completely brilliant.

Cheers 🙂

So unassuming as far as Hendrix songs go but completely brilliant

Indeed!

Okay, taking things a little bit further - I've downtuned my guitar to Eb 🙂
I'm off work next week and heading South to see family for the first time in a year. I may need to bring guitar and amp with me so that I can carry on trying to learn this bloody thing!

I thought I’d peaked on the gear acquisition syndrome spectrum when I bought my Stingray a couple of weeks ago.
I’ve since learned that Fender’s Ultra Jazz Bass has an active pre-amp. In the grand scheme of things they aren’t too expensive, especially if I can move on the P and Mustang basses 🤦‍♂️🧐

PS Junior is mithering about a Vox AC 10 or 15 or 30 valve amp. Any thoughts on them? It would replace the Mustang GT40 modelling amp.

Valve amps can be great - but they are loud (and heavy), an AC30 is a beast of an amp so an AC10 would be more than enough for home use. I'd suggest going to a shop with your guitar and trying one

I've used an AC 15 live at a gig with all the amplification apart from voice on stage. The other guitarist had an Orange, both amps were flat out. It was all painfully loud but sounded OK. Turn it down and it's disappointing, the classic Vox sound goes and it loses its soul. Your son will be hankering after pedals to get some grain and sustain back into the sound.

Don't sell the GT 40 even if you get the Vox, I've got two valve amps but rarely use them, the Mustang is used most days - you'll note that I've only used a valve amp once in the Youtubes I post, and that was with a bass, they sound shit at volumes I can record with a phone.

Mmmm thanks both. We tried an AC10 in Forsyths in Manchester yesterday. TBH I think he likes the idea of the valve amp as much as the execution. I’m not 100% convinced; he already has a Blackstar valve half stack anyway. 🧐

As with many classic amps, if you want to get the classic sounds out of them, you need to be able to turn the controls way up to antisocial levels - remember that most of the classic valve amps didn't come with a master volume control. Some later iterations did come with master volume controls - but they're never quite the same. Other alternatives include attenuators (turn all that volume into heat), or just getting a smaller amp and running that hard.

I say this as former owner of an early 1970's Marshall, a late 70's Fender Twin, a 90's Fender Twin, a 00's Blues Deluxe Reissue and a Chinese Vox AC30. Amp de jour is a wee Vox AC4TV which is more than loud enough to be antisocial in a domestic environment...

What does he play? I'm surprised anyone younger than me wants to sound like the Beatles or Brian May. 😉

The Shape of Punk to Come by Refused was recorded with AC30s (cranked into 4*12s). Heavy sound.

Skip to 1:00

My pal has an AC4 and loves it. That's all he needs for quieter gigs, he reckons.

I have an Epiphone Valve Junior - 5W into a 12in speaker is loud. And it'll drive a 4x12... There's some chart somewhere that reckons that a 50W amp is only something like four times louder than a 1W amp...

I'm currently playing a 15W EVH Lunchbox amp into a 10in Barefaced cab in a band with another (loud) guitarist and a loud drummer and it's not even halfway up... Valve Watts are loud!

Thanks all. We looked at an AC30 this evening - it made lots of noise as was warming up, even with nothing plugged in. Once up to temp, it sounded good, but only when at volumes greater than would be acceptable to Mrs OTS 🤦‍♂️
So junior is rethinking things.
There is a lovely white AC4 on Reverb, which I might just buy.

Remember those Vox MV50 Amps we were talking about earlier in the thread?

Having bought the AC one, that gives a very good approximation of an AC30, but at manageable levels.
(I'm selling in the High Gain one, as it's too much for what I need.)

The tiny head unit + the 10" cab I built is more than loud enough for band practice with a drummer, another guitarist, and a base player who thinks he's Lemmy 😁

Defo worth trying out if you can find one.

Some advice, por favor.

I’ve never had a bass but I’ve been eyeing up a Fender Player Mustang.

I’d prefer a short scale (a previously dislocated index finger and broken humerus make longer problematic).

P-bass and Jazz pups, seems like a good spread of sounds?

Played through a THR10II?

Any views?

Also, (Leezy) flat wounds?

Valve amps can be great – but they are loud (and heavy)

I've got an Orange Rocker 15 which is light and can be run at 0.5W.

It's the future I tell thee.......🙂

I have a Fender Player Mustang which I play through a couple of Fender Mustang Bass amps.
It’s a lovely guitar but the tone is quite different from my P or Jazz basses.
I mainly use it to practice new fiddly bits before picking up one of the regular scales.

I’ve not used a Yamaha THR10II but they do get good reviews. I do wonder how they manage to shift enough air for a decent bass tone though.

Edit - I have a set of labella flat wounds which I keep meaning to put on 🤔

I’ve not used a Yamaha THR10II but they do get good reviews. I do wonder how they manage to shift enough air for a decent bass tone though.

Theu are awesome home use amps. Mainly forsolo use unless everyone else also uses them.

I used mine for a quiet pub jam and it was at its upper limits with no drummer and only and acoustic bassist...